Tsukimori Len sat by the window inside the café. The chair opposite him was empty. Hino Kahoko had left hours ago, but her essence still lingered. The cup of tea, now cold, sat in her place. He looked at the envelope on the table next to his cup of coffee, his name neatly written on it in black ink in her handwriting.

'Tsukimori Len'

The letter remained untouched since she last slid it across the table from her side to his. She flushed deep crimson and left soon after. He recalled the memory hours ago.

"Len…I-I love you." She said.

He remembered the surprise written all over his face. His heart pounded against his chest. His cheeks started to burn as he remembered the moment.

'No…not like this…' he thought.

"I'll be waiting there, like always." Then she stood up and nearly ran for the door, her rosy cheeks matching her cherry hair.

He didn't want to read the letter in front of him. He didn't want the yearning feeling for Hino Kahoko. He was scared. Scared of changing the life he had now. He slowly reached for the letter, his hands trembling.

'Get a hold of yourself'

His hand tightened into a fist before he picked up the letter, and without reading it or opening it, he swiftly ripped it into two clean halves and placed it in his pockets. It started to rain outside. The concrete footpath began to darken in color with raindrops. The rain fell, and it fell hard.

"I'll be waiting there, like always."

The words echoed in his mind. Yes, she was always there. She was always there whenever he needed some fresh air. She was always there when he needed to escape his isolated world. She was always there, somehow waiting for him to come.

It started raining and she was waiting for him out there. His heart almost stopped. Shock hit him hard as he realized the truth. He quickly stood up; the legs of his chair scraped across the floorboards, and ran outside. He didn't think twice about where he was going. The familiar feeling of getting there was overwhelming. The feeling was unexpected. He wanted to go there so bad… he needed to go there.

He arrived at the deserted beach, his blue hair drenched in the cold rain. No one was there… no one except Hino Kahoko, who sat a distance away from him, soaking wet from head to toe. He saw her and started running again; the wet sand sticking to his shoes. He slowed down as he reached her. She sat in the rain with her head buried in her knees, her beautiful face hidden from him.

"Hino…" he breathed, the name mixed with his subtle panting and gasping for air.

She lifted her head and turned to look at him, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"What took you so long?! I've been here for hours! I'm so sick of this ocean that I could drown myself in it!" she yelled, her voice almost cracking with tears slowly streaming down her face.

"Hino," he repeated. He walked closer to her.

"Did you read it?" she asked as she calmed down. "My letter?"

He shook his head and kneeled down beside her.

"No, because the only thing that I care about right now is what my heart says." His left hand reached towards her and gently caressed her face.

"And what does your heart say Len?"

"It says, Kahoko, I love you too."

He leaned in to her and gently pressed his lips against hers.

Because what my heart says is 'Kahoko, I love you'.


well, obviously not too happy with the ending of the first season of La Corda D'Oro - how Hino doesn't end up with anyone - I created one for myself.I know there's a second season airing... but! who can wait that long (2 months!) for the next episode DX

I hope you enjoyed that. Please give me a review =]

-Nana;